Masks of World – Book

Beautiful mask from Bhutan

Q: I know almost nothing about the Yama – I won it at an auction for very little. Aaron, 649

A: Bhutan is able to support the art of fine mask-making, perhaps because it’s such a costly place to visit and the tourists have plenty of money to spend. This mask of Yama, Lord of the Underworld, is a beautiful example of what can still be purchased in that remote Himalayan country. Craftsmanship is alive and well. And yes, these masks are still used in performance there. Our readers can find more pictures and information about classic Himalayan masks on Google. I must give this mask an A because of its quality, but it would have to be much older to bring big money at auction. (But that’s not why most of us collect masks.)